Split Second (U.S. Syndicated Game Show)
Split Second is a game show produced by Stefan Hatos-Monty Hall Productions and aired from 1972-1987. The first version was hosted by Tom Kennedy and aired on ABC from 1972 to 1975. The second version was hosted by Monty Hall and aired from 1986 to 1987. The current version was hosted by T.J. Miller and produced by All American Television and debuted in January 2017. Gameplay Rounds 1 & 2 On each episode three contestants, one a returning champion (or designate), competed. Each question the host asked had three possible correct answers. Some questions took a form such as "Name the three films for which Katharine Hepburn won the Oscar for Best Actress." For most questions, three words, names, or phrases were displayed on a board which acted as clues, and the question took a form such as "Pick a word from the board and give its plural." Approximately once each day on the ABC version there was also a "Memory Buster", in which Kennedy gave a list of items and asked which three of them were common to each other. Contestants rang in by pushing a button on their podiums. The first person to ring in was permitted to provide any one of the three answers. The second-fastest provided one of the remaining answers, and finally the slowest player got whatever was left, by default. In the '70s version, the clues on the board were revealed first and contestants could buzz-in before the question was completed, whereas in the syndicated version the answers were revealed after the question was finished, and if a contestant rang in too soon (before the choices were revealed), he or she was forced to take a turn after the other two had had their chances. Each player received money for a correct answer. The value of each answer was determined by the number of people supplying a correct response, and no money was deducted for answering incorrectly. Countdown Round The Countdown Round served as the final round and determined the winner. No money was awarded for correct answers in this round. Instead, a correct answer enabled a player to keep control of the question and answer the remaining two parts. Each player was required to give a set number of answers in order to win the game. The leader entering the Countdown Round had the lowest number, with the second place player needing one more answer than the leader and the third place player two. In the event of a tie, the tied players had to give the same number of answers. On the original series, the leader needed three answers to win (which could be accomplished in one question), the second place player four, and the third place player five. These numbers all increased by one when the syndicated series debuted, with four being the lowest number and six the highest. The first player to count down to zero won the game regardless of their total score and moved on to the bonus round. All three players got to keep whatever they had won. Bonus Round Every new champion was given a choice of five car keys, which corresponded with five cars that were displayed on stage. The champion chose a car to attempt to start with the key, and if he/she was successful the car was won and the champion retired. If the car did not start, it was taken out of play and the champion tried the same key in another car if he/she returned the next day. If after four consecutive tries the key did not start a car, if the champion won the next game he/she received a choice of any of the cars on stage. In addition to the car, a retiring champion received a cash bonus. The bonus started at $1,000 and increased by $500 for each unsuccessful bonus round, resetting only when a champion won a car.Category:All American Television Category:Game shows Category:Syndicated programmes Category:Syndication